TWOTHOUSANDANDNINEWOW

This is long, it is a personal post, so you may find it boring and repetitive. Read if you want!
This was in my drafts folder since January, so I am posting it now with a subtitle of:

A year Today!

Yep, it's been a year today that we have been on Okinawa...WOW-E-WOW
Our first 'home'...Hamagawa Lodge! Different weather this time last year compared to todays rainy cold miserable day...
I was so excited to see all the outfits, shisa dogs, Okinawa nicnaks. I felt like a tourist...
Can you believe it is 2009, what happened? I remember when April was really small and people would tell me it all goes so fast before you know it she will be all grown up. I wondered what they meant. It wasn't going that fast. BUT NOW I KNOW.

Now, the kids are 8 and 5 and I am wondering where did the time go? And it's getting faster, I am literally running behind it to keep up. Where is my little baby April with her bright blond ringlets and smile that would stop traffic and everybody else in its' sight? What happened to that little baby, Loubie, that I had to pat his bum to get him off to sleep?
What happened to time? How did I arrive here in Okinawa? What happened to my job at the YMCA and my visits to London? Gone, they are gone and I am slightly freaking out. Is 2009 going to fly like the rest? Of course. I know it is. I literally blinked and an hour went by.

Physical and Mental and Emotional

I have been hitting the gym (Gotta love listening to Pink on April's ipod shuffle!!!). Yes, you did hear me right. I WENT TO THE GYM! But, it's very sporadic.
I have been taking photos both personally and professionally. I have been crackbooking (I mean facebooking). A LOT. It is great to connect with old and new faces and it's like the old days where I would make a quick phone call to say hi.

The kids drive me insane, but they keep me sane and grounded. So, I think about the kids and try and hold on to why they are so special to me, right now. And I have to put it into words to solidify my thoughts, before they disappear in another year and another sibling argument...

April: I love April for her great insight into everything, her use of words and super sonic reading skills. I love her sense of humour. The fact she wants to be a Marine Biologist and Photographer and her love and big knowledge of sharks. I love her singing, her art and her caring heart. I love that she is forgiving. And strong minded. Also, she is very nice to me when I get the camera out, again...
Lewis: I love Loubie for his crazy sense of humour, his toothless smile, the way he still snuggles with me, his love of books. His love of the Care Bears and rainbows. His crazy computer skills! His snugglebubbleness! His fuzzy hair!

Lean on me

Alot of times in my life I think of my friends: past, present (future?).
My fellow photographer and friend, Shelia, just left the Island (see how old this draft is, sitting collecting virtual dust) and recently wrote a blog post about friends, all so true. You can read it HERE. It seriously made my shed a tear. It also has some really cool photos of that recent photo outing we had with the kids. You'll remember mine HERE.

Good friends are hard to find. We all have friends here and there, but a lot of them that we call friends are more like acquaintances, which is fine, we need them too, at that point in time. But, sometimes, you find people that you know you are going to be in contact with for life (even if it's a quick message on facebook!). I, being a Taurus and born in the year of the dog (read: super loyal), have a few of those. Isn't it great when you can pick up the phone and talk to someone that you haven't spoken to in over a year and just take the conversation flow like you had talked yesterday? I love that I am still in contact with people that I met when I was 5 YEARS OLD!!!
We need friends, friends help us to be mentally healthy (it's true, I read it in Oprah LOL!), especially out here, one needs friends, and I think I have made a few. Hopefully, no more will leave the island anytime soon...

Growing (older)

I was standing in line at Subway the other day and it suddenly hit me. I am going to be 40 in less than 2 years. I stood, shocked, but accepting. Shocked, because sometimes I still act the same as I did when I was in my 20's. I think 'shouldn't I be acting nearer to 40' Whatever that is! What is that? I remember in my early 20's, 40 seemed so old, so fuddy duddy, frock wearing and tut-tutting. But it doesn't have to be that way, does it? I feel like I am going to be one of those crazy 80 year olds with sneakers, pink hair and a crazy attitude!!! I hope so! I hope I have some like minded friends to join me!

I 'stole' this from Shelia ages ago...
I know it's old, it's a quarter of the way through 2009 for crying out loud. But, I would feel guilty if I didn't publish this little post...

Tips for Better Life for 2009

1. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile. I try I do, honestly, just not this week...
2. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day. When I take a nap. Or, with a laptop in front of me. Does that count?
3. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy. I try, just not this week!
4. Play more games. Plenty of them around here. Board and Wii...
5. Read more books than you did in 2008.. Will do.
6. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
7. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
8. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness. I try, just not this week! LOL!
9. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment. I try, just not this week! See a pattern forming?
10. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar. hmmmm....I need to flip.
11. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others. Even the evil be-yatch neighbour in SD?
12. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does. I try, just not this week!
13. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.
14. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about. Don't compare your partner with others.
15. Forgive everyone for everything.
16. What other people think of you is none of your business. It's none of theirs either, esp. if it's horrible LOL
17. However good or bad a situation is, it will change. True.
18. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.
19. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful. Is there a way to strip my horrible brown walls...
20. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need. I wish we didn't live in such a materialistic society.
21. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up. Do velor pants count? They are J-LO!
22. Call your family often.
23. Each day give something good to others.
24. Don't over do. Keep your limits. Does that apply to driving too. Because they drive awfully slow out here...

Well, dear little January post. I am sending you off to blog land now, thanks for being so patient :o)
Here's a sunny sunflower to brighten a rainy day (Here in Oki anyways...)

And here's April on Sly with instructor, Jenn running through the sea. Bliss...